Whether it will be short (meaning only this installment) or just the beginning
of a larger saga, is entirely up to you, the reader. Merely read on and then vote
afterward.
Floating. Thats what the sensations currently rippling around Quinn Mallory
could only be described as, and that wasnt doing it justice. Not by a long
shot. He was light. Lighter than during any slide hed ever been on. No burdens,
no heavy thoughts, just light and peace.
Where am I? It seemed a lame question to ask, since there was no
one there to hear it and since he wasnt really sure that he wanted an answer.
Where else would you be, my boy? a familiar voice unexpectedly
responded. This is the afterlife. That thing the scientific mind always
attempts to understand, but always fails. I doubted its existence myself. Yet
here I am. Arturo paused, then continued. "Do you know why you are
here?"
I was... a part of Mallory... and then...
He won. The first Quinn Mallory negative expression, at least since
hed arrived here, came to his face at that moment. It was a mistake.
Metaphysically speaking, that is. You were never meant to be a part of that travesty,
I assure you. He paused for a while and then continued, Nobody can
slide too long, Mr. Mallory. It wears you down, makes you forget about who you
are, who you were, what you want. But you werent ready to leave that life
just yet. You were called back quite by mistake. They came looking for another
and really, your loyalty to your brother is quite astonishing. So willing to sacrifice
your life for his.
I had a great inspiration.
And a lot of guilt. A dangerous combination if ever I saw one.
You felt it, didnt you? When the elder man nodded, he continued,
What did you have to be guilty about, when you threw yourself in front of
me?
You know I wasnt the right one. Not the one that left with you.
You knew all along, but you always kept it a secret from the others.
You were desperate and lonely. Youd lost your homeworld every bit
as much as we had... and its what he would have wanted, no matter how much
he might not have admitted it.
And you knew Colin wasnt your brother, too. Quinn nodded
acceptance. But you blame yourself. You feel youve deprived Colin
of his true brother.
Colin.. is he..?
His mission in the universe is completed.
And mine isnt?
Thats for you to decide.
OK, Ive had enough with the cryptic confusion. What am I doing
here?
Patience, Mr. Mallory, is key to anything worthwhile. Didnt I teach
you anything? There seems to be someone the Boss wants you to see before you decide
whether to ascend.
And that would be?
A vision cleared before Quinn Mallory. Another version of himself with a stubbly
beard, long hair and shabby looking clothing sat on the most desolate rock he
thought hed ever seen. A piece of burned out electronic equipment rested
in his hand. The hand itself was worn and weathered from repeated instances of
having to defend himself from the local population of wild animals and working
with crude tools in various futile attempts to repair the timer. His eyes gave
the entire face a dead, sunken-in look that Quinn could have went the rest of
his existence without seeing.
This Quinn Mallory went on his first slide alone, much as you did. Only
he was perhaps a little more adventurous, setting the timer for forty-eight hours.
Wishing to escape this place early, as any sensible human would, he unknowingly
doomed himself to an eternity here. On his homeworld, he left behind two loving
parents and a budding family, not to mention an overweight English physics professor
who would soon become his mentor. A situation not completely unlike your own,
eh?
I get it. Hes me with worse luck. Or better, depending on your
perspective. And?
He lacks the strength of character that you inherited from years of sliding
and his emotions seem to have undergone considerable atrophy, but from what Ive
seen of him, he is not beyond redemption.
And you want me to redeem him? In case you havent noticed, Im
dead.
Youre still working through a considerable amount of guilt. Not
only over myself and Colin but about your companions who are still out there.
Quinn could not deny this, as it would be futile to lie to the man who knew him
so well. With a new timer, he could be led to find them, if the spirit
moves him, shall we say. Let this boy be their salvation and then maybe
he can become his own. Its completely your choice, Mr. Mallory.
Quinn Mallory looked into eyes that were his and also were not. And pondered.
The End (for now???)
ThomasMalthus